Myers Families of Mercer County, Illinois
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Myers Families
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Alternate Spellings - Meyers, Myer, Miers, Meirs, Mires, Myres (name is actually pretty consistently seen as Myers for the Andrew Myers family).

Links - Willits, Mannon, Mattson, Clark, Nelson, Jack, Thompson, Mosby, Burlingam, Prouty,, Commons, Larrance, Kirlin, Prentiss, Wolfe

Contacts - Larry Moline is researching a possible brother of Andrew Myers.

Jamie Dawn Nelson Paul is a descendant of William Perry Myers and has much information on the family. She has family photos. See the Myers-Nelson Family Web Site.

References - Cyrus Mannon Diary as quoted by Henry Wallace Prouty; History of Mercer County, 1882; Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, 1903; Mercer County Cemetery Records; Various census and marriage records.



Andrew and Mary Lloyd Myers

Andrew and Mary Lloyd Myers were the progenitors of most of the Myers families in New Boston and Eliza Townships in Mercer County. In other townships there are Myers families from Germany, giving us a hint of the probable origins of Andrew Myers. Andrew was born about 1796 in Pennsylvania, and died 1/22/1881, age 84 yrs 7 mos 11 ds. Jerry Hagge, whose wife is a Myers descendant, shared the following obituary with us: "Col Andrew Myers of New Boston, died at the residence of a daughter of his in Kansas a few days since, at the advanced age of 85 years. The remains were brought to New Boston for interment by the side of those of his wife, who passed from the earth three years ago". (The Aledo Democrat-Friday, Feb. 11, 1881) Andrew was in Harvey County, Kansas, in the 1880 census, at the home of his daughter Margaret Myers Commons. Mary Lloyd Myers was born about 1795 in Pennsylvania and died 2/21/1876, age 81 yr 4m 10 d, in New Boston, Mercer County. She was buried in New Boston Cemetery. Jamie Paul tells us the tombstones are still there though very worn and hard to read.

Andrew and at least some of his family came to Mercer County about 1836, and they are found in the 1840 census: T14N R5W Andrew Myers, males, 1 40-50, 1 15-20, 1 5-10; females 1 40-50, 1 20-30, 3 15-20, 1 20-15, 1 5-10, 1 under 5. In 1850 they are found in Township 14 North, Range 4 West: #484 Andrew Myres, 54, farmer, farm valued $1500, born Pa; Mary, 53, Pa; William, 29, Oh; Margaret Clark, 24, Oh; Orpha, 23, Oh; Levi, 20, In: Matilda, 17, In; Louisa 14, In; Ida Clark, 4, Il.

The large family had dispersed by 1860: New Boston Township #1821, next to son-in-law Cyrus Mannon: Andrew Myers, 64, farmer, born Pa; Mary Myers, 63, born Pa; Caroline Felman, 14, born Prussia. Andrew Myers is found in the 1865 Manufacturing and Agricultural Census in New Boston Township: 1 male and 1 female, age 60-70, value of livestock $350, value of grain $350, pounds of wool, 75. In 1870 Andrew and Mary were living with son-in-law David Kirlin in New Boston Town: Andrew Myers, 73, retired farmer, born Pa; Mary Myers, 73, born Pa.

We found that Andrew Myers was commonly referred to as "Colonel Myers" and this had been a puzzle to us. The answer came from an article in the Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois & History of Mercer County, 1903 in a biography of Benijah Lloyd. It told us that Andrew Myers had been commissioned by the Governor of Illinois in the 1940's to organize a regiment of militia in the County. More on this in our Part 2 History.

More on the Children of Andrew and Mary Lloyd Myers

Children of Andrew and Mary Lloyd Myers:
Jane Myers, born 12/15/1818, Carlton, Ohio
William P. Myers, born about 1821, Pickaway County, Ohio
Sarah A. Myers, born 9/13/1822, Pickaway County, Ohio
Mary Ann Myers, born about 1823, Pickaway County, Ohio
Margaret Myers, born 1824-26, Pickaway County, Ohio
Orpha B. Myers, born 9/1/1827 Pickaway County, Ohio
Levi W. Myers, born about 1830, Indiana
Matilda Myers, born about 1833, Indiana;
Louisa Myers, born about 1837, Indiana

Jane Myers Mannon Family

Daughter Jane Myers married Cyrus Mannon 4/14/1842 in Carlton, Ohio according to the Mannon Bible. Actually Jane Meirs married Cyrus T. Manon in Mercer County on 4/14/1842 according to Illinois licensing records.

Cyrus and Jane are found in the 1860 census in New Boston Township living next to Andrew and Mary Myers: Cyrus T. Mannon, age 44, farmer, born Indiana; Jane, 32, born Ohio; Oscar, 17, born Il; Amanda, 15, born Il; Clayton, 11, born Il; Clara, 11, born Il; Arthur, 7, born Il; Elvira, 5, born Il.

Cyrus Mannon died 4/28/1879 and is buried in New Boston Cemetery. After his death Jane probably went to Harvey County, Kansas, to be near her sister Margaret Myers Commons and her daughter Elvira Mannon Prouty. Father Andrew Myers probably accompanied her to Kansas.

Jane's daughter, Amanda Alice Mannon, born 1845, married Noah Noble Larrance on 11/28/1864. Amanda died 3/2/1869 and is buried in New Boston Cemetery. In 1870, daughters Maud and Rose Lawrence, age 4 and 2, are found with the Mannon family in New Boston Township. The children of Amanda and Noah were living with their grandmother, Jane Myers Mannon, in 1880 in Harvey County, Kansas, so she apparently raised their children.

Arthur Mannon married Anna Neff, daughter of Christian and Catherine Wolfe Neff. Their children will be detailed on the Mannon page as they lived out their lives in Mercer County. Son Oscar married Sarah E. Winger after a trip to California. They will be detailed on the Mannon page.

Daughter Elvira Mannon married Henry Prouty. This family is found next door to Jane Myers Mannon in the 1880 Harvey County, Kansas, census. It is in Henry Prouty's papers that we find the reference to the Cyrus Mannon Bible which was apparently in his possession.

Margaret Myers Clark Commons Family

Daughter Margaret Myers was born about 1824 to 1826 in Pickaway County, Ohio (census records vary slightly). She married (1) James Clark 3/7/1844 in Mercer County. They had one child, Ida C. Clark, born about 1845. James died sometime between 1845 and 1850, as Margaret and Ida are found with her parents in 1850. We will be putting up a Clark page. Ida Clark married Franklin Andrew Prouty 9/14/1865 and went to Kansas with the Prouty family.

Margaret Myers Clark married (2) Enos Commons on 9/28/1852 as his second wife. The combined family is found in New Boston Township in 1860: Enos Commons, 40, farmer, born Indiana; Margaret, 36, born Ohio; Nathan W.Commons, 20, born Indiana; Jasper Commons, 16; Ida C. Clark, 15; Levi M. Commons, 7; Andrew M. Commons, 4; Orpha Commons, 1, all born Illinois. This family is documented further on the Commons page.

As mentioned above, Andrew Myers, age 84, was living with (or visiting) Enos and Margaret in Harvey County, Kansas, in 1880 when the census was taken.

William Perry Myers Family

Son William P. Myers was born about 1821 in Pickaway County, Ohio, and died 9/25/1909 in Mercer County. He is buried in New Boston Cemetery. William married (1) Louisa B. Larrance, daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth Swafford Larrance, on 12/13/1852 in Mercer County. Louisa was born about 1831 in Henry County, Indiana, and died 2/22/1872 in Mercer County. She is buried in New Boston Cemetery. William is listed on the New Boston militia rolls in 1862.

William and family are found in New Boston Town in the 1870 Census: William P., age 49, keeping livery, born Ohio; Louisa B., age 39, born Indiana; Myron A., 15; Horace, 11; Grace D., 9; Lloyd, 6; Lillie, 4; Earl, 1. They had an additional child, Mary Orline, born 1857, died 8/28/1858 and buried in New Boston Cemetery. Earle died 4/25/1874 and is buried in New Boston Cemetery.

William Perry Myers married (2) Mrs. Mary Westerblo(Westerblow?)Matson, widow of Peter Mattson on 8/24/1873 in Mercer County. They had a child, Charles Clyde, died 2/2/1875, and buried in New Boston Cemetery. Jamie Paul tells us there was a son James and a daughter Mary Ora. This is verified in the 1880 census in New Boston: William P. Myers, 60, farmer, born Ohio, parents born Pennsylvania; Mary, 39, born Sweden, parents born Sweden; Jimmy, 3, born Il; Ora, 2, born Il; Julius Matson, 15 stepson, laborer, born Il, parents born Sweden.

Jamie Paul is descended from Mary Ora Myers (married Nels Nelson) who came from Sweden when 17 years old and settled in New Boston (we will be adding a Nelson page). Jamie Paul and Rowena Ginther have published several obituaries on the Mercer County ObituaryBoard including Mary Westerblow Myers, William Perry Myers, Mary Ora Nelson, and Nels Nelson. Marna Wilson has posted Louisa Larrance Myers obituary on the same board. To find the obituaries select Mercer Board, then enter the surname in the search box. Jamie Paul lives in New Boston and has much information to share on this family.

Sarah Myers Willits Family

Daughter Sarah A. Myers was born 9/13/1822 in Pickaway County, Ohio, and died 9/23/1847 in Mercer County, Illinois, a few days after the birth of daughter, Orpha Miranda. She is buried in New Boston Cemetery and her tombstone records that she was the wife of James Monroe Willits. She married James Monroe Willits, son of Levi and Rachel Field Willits, on 9/29/1840 in Mercer County. The children of Sarah and James Monroe Willits are given on the Levi Willits page. (Note: Census records for James Monroe can be confusing as his second wife was Sarah A. Prouty. (Bartlett, historian of the Willits family, missed the Sarah A. Myers marriage altogether.)

Mary Myers Kirlin Family

Daughter Mary Ann Myers was born about 1823 in Pickaway County, Ohio. She married David Kirlin, son of William and Lydia Thompson Kirlin, on 2/16/1847 in Mercer County. (Kirlin page linked above). David Kirlin was a furniture maker with stores in New Boston and in Iowa, and a farmer. Part of his skill in furniture making was devoted to making coffins. He made coffins and served as undertaker for Welch relatives of Jill Martin and Nadine Holder, creators of these pages. In the 1870 census in New Boston Town: David Kirlin, 47, furniture dealer, born Virginia; Mary, 47, born Ohio; Kate, 19; May, 17; Abbie, 15; Edna, 11; Andrew Myers, 73, retired farmer, born Pennsylvania; Mary Myers, 73, born Pennsylvania. David and Mary were still in New Boston in 1880.

Daughter Dalinda Kirlin was already married at the time of the 1870 census to Shedrick Burlingam. Kate married William Dickinson; May married O. B. Thompson; Abby married physician A. L. Craig; and Edna married John F. McBride. We will be putting up pages for Burlingam and Thompson. There is more on the Kirlin page linked above.

Orpha Myers Ellett Family

Daughter Orpha B. Myers was born 9/1/1827 in Pickaway County, Ohio. On 9/9/ 1851 she married Benjamin P. Ellett, Sheriff of Mercer County. A history of Benjamin Ellett is given in the Keithsburg Township section of the History of Mercer County, Illinois, 1882. Mr. Ellett was married first to Grace E. Jack, daughter of Charles Jack, an early settler in Mercer County (we will be putting up a Jack page). She died in October 1850 leaving three children. The family is found in Sunbeam in the 1860 Census: Benjamin P. Elliott (sic), 46, laborer, born Virginia; Orpha B., 32, born Ohio; Mary J, 14 (daughter of Grace Jack Ellett); Frank, 8; Minna, 6; Nellie, 4; Willie, 3; Bertha, 1; all born Illinois. In the 1870 Census in Keithsburg: Benjamin Elliott, 57, lumberdealer, born Va; Orpha B. Elliott, 46, born In; Frank A., 28, at school; Minnie, 16; Nellie, 14; Willie, 13; Betty, 11; Harry, 9; Eddie, 6; Freddy, 4; and Tom, 2.

They were in Keithsburg in 1880 with no additional children. We have not followed this family further since they lived in Keithsburg. The name is shown as Ellett in the Mercer County History and on their marriage record, but is shown as Elliott in 1860 and 1870 census records, but as Ellett in 1880.

Levi Myers Family

Son Levi W. Myers was born about 1830 in Indiana. On 6/8/1854 he married Rosetta Prentiss, daughter of Stanton and Susanah Brookhart Prentiss. Levi is found in the 1860 Census in New Boston: Levi W. Myers, 30, preacher, born Indiana; Rosetta, 30, born Ohio. They are not found in the 1870 Census in Mercer County.

According to the History of Mercer County, Illinois, 1882, Levi was a Republican convention delegate in 1854. He was an abolitionist who was editor of the Wappello Republican in Iowa for a number of years. We note on an 1856 issue of the New Boston Nonpareil that L. W. Myers is listed as Editor.

In 1880 W. Levi is found in Wapello, Louisa County, Iowa: W. Levi Myers, 49, born In, editor; parents born Pa; Rosetta C. Myers, 49, Oh, father Ma, mother Pa; P. Oak Myers, printer, 16, born Missouri. We note that a nephew Byron Cowley, age 20, is listed as a printer in the 1880 census and probably also worked for Levi (see Matilda Myers Cowley below.)

Matilda Myers Cowley Family

Daughter Matilda Myers married James Cowley on 1/27/1859 in Mercer County. We do not find them further in Mercer County. In 1880 they are living in Eddyville, Wapello County, Iowa: James Cowley, 49, In, druggist, parents born Ky; Matilda, 47, In, parents born Pa; Byron Cowley, 20, Ia, printer (probably working for uncle Levy Myers?); William M. Cowley, laborer, 16, Il; Genoa L. Cowley, 13, daughter, Iowa.

Louisa Myers Mosby Family

Daughter Louisa Myers was born about 1837 in Indiana. She married John W. Mosby on 12/25/1855 in Mercer County (we will be putting up a Mosby page). They are found in the 1860 New Boston census: John Mosbey, 23, farmer, born Indiana; Louisa, 23, born Indiana; Nina, 3; and Delia, 1, born Illinois. They are not found in the 1870 census in Mercer County.

They are found in 1880 in Eddyville, Mahaska County, Iowa: John W. Mosby, 43, In, parents birthplace unknown; L. E. Mosby, 44, Oh, parents born Pa; Delia Mosby, 21, Il; Clyde Mosby, 19, Il, clerk in store; Grace Mosby, 11, Ia; Louisa Mosby, 3, Ia; Jean Mosby, 3, daughter, 10 mo, Iowa.

Other Myers records in Mercer County

As time permits we will put up the census and cemetery records for other Myers families in Mercer County to aid Myers researchers.

Query

Larry Moline is looking for a Jacob Myers who might have been brother of Andrew since Jacob named a son Andrew and a daughter Mary. Jacob was born in 1777 possibly in Frederick County, Maryland.

Updates:
9/5/2007 Added Jamie Paul's web site address.





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